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"Careful, Edith!!" Charlie's shout couldn't have come at a better time, and at his words, Edith ducked towards the ground, casting a half-hearted shield to deflect the incoming onslaught of dragon fire.
It was through the watery shimmer of her silver and gold shield that she met eyes with the majestic beast. Yellow rims of pure fury stared back at her, leaving Edith breathless at the sight.
The fire lessened, with the dragon pulling back it's grand head to let out a ground-shaking grumble, Edith could hardly hear her own heartbeat over the sound.
Charlie had called the dragon ahead of them a Hungarian Horntail, and she didn't miss the glaze of unforgiving amazement burning in his eyes when the two had first approached the large clearing earlier that night.
The sun had long since fallen, somehow making the blasts of raging fire look even more striking in the low light of the forest.
The shadows of Charlie's colleagues, along with other dragonologists and such hired by the Ministry, were outlined with a blaze of red air every time one of the four caged beasts opened their mouths to spit angry flames.
The awe-filled gaze Charlie wore never once wavered, Edith noticed. Even as the Chinese Fireball to their right let out another thunderous roar, prompting Charlie to reach into Edith's space, wrapping a gloved hand around her arm and pulling her back towards him, letting her shield fall away behind her.
They stepped back together as another one of Charlie's colleagues rushed forwards in an attempt to reassure the restless dragon.
Edith watched with a feeling of wonder swirling in her chest.
"Unfortunately, we were asked to use wild dragons for the First Task. The Sleeping Draughts have done their job, for now at least. Ministry said somethin' about the tame ones not putting up enough of a fight. Not that you can actually tame a dragon, mind you. They're playing with fire there, literally. Wouldn't want to put my worst enemy in front of that Horntail. She's got eyes like an inferno, that one." Charlie's hand slipped away from Edith's arm, and he paused to yank one of his sleeves further back up his arm, rubbing the skin it had tumbled over in the hasty action of grabbing Edith.
"She's beautiful." Edith muttered, finally tearing her eyes away from the royally pissed dragon ahead of them.
"Isn't she? Gotta say, don't think they'll be too happy being cooped up for another few days. But I reckon that's what the Ministry wants. I've seen the stand they're building beside the pitch up in the hills, got this giant wire cage across the top. They're wanting us to fire-proof it tomorrow night, though at this rate, I'd hope they're using goblin metal. Silver or iron would work best, I'd say."
"But to put teenagers in with them, and use it as entertainment? Y'know... every day I think I understand more why my mom started to pull away from the wizarding world before the end." Edith mulled over her own words, pulling her Hufflepuff scarf tighter around her neck and shoving her palms into her jacket pockets.
"I... I don't exactly agree with it, Birdie. But the money the Ministry is giving us for this... Merlin, we could expand the reserve by four whole enclosures. That's at least twelve more dragons we're able to save, keeping them away from those dammed poachers." Charlie's face hardened, and a gloved hand hung at his belt as he glancing around the clearing.
"Meant to ask, how's Harry holding up? Mum was asking for him. Something in one of Ron's last letters?"
Edith huffed a breath. "He tells himself he's holding it together, but I think he's losing it. And he's not the only one. I can't... I can't lose him Charlie. I can't lose any of you." Edith let out a breath, watching as the puff of air turned to condensation, the misty blob floating into the sky, a low shade of orange thanks to the continued snorts of dragon fire some ways away.
"I messed it up before. Can't do it again." Edith clenched her fists in her jacket, fisting the scratchy fabric through an even stare.
"I know you won't, Birdie. We'll be okay." Charlie's arm came around her shoulder, and he pulled her into his side.
The ginger continued after giving her shoulder a small squeeze. "Talking of Ron, he seems a bit... pent up? Thoroughly pissed off? Any reason why?"
"You've seen him?"
"Swung by Hagrid's earlier, figured if anyone wanted to know about the passing parade, it'd be him." Charlie wore a small smile, nodding towards the cages of dragons across from them. "Saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny already there. Hardly got a word out of him, actually. The girls weren't too happy, either, now that I mind."
"Ron's convinced that Harry put his own name in the Goblet. Thought his best friend would've been able to see how crazy all of this is. Harry's scared, why can't he get that?"
Charlie heaved a sigh, his hand rubbing up and down her arm as he continued to hold her.
"Ron's probably the most aware out of all of us. You think Bill and I don't see the way he looks at us sometimes? With these... massive amounts of jealously and admiration? He thinks his future is shallow at Hogwarts, all because Bill and I got there first. But he's gotta stop comparing himself to us, we're all Weasleys', but we're different people underneath all of that. Ron doesn't know who he is yet, and that infuriates him, I was the same at his age! But he's got his whole life to figure that out. He's gotta find that thing that makes him look for a better tomorrow. Sometimes that's a job, or stability in your day to day, and sometimes... it's a person."
Edith watched as Charlie's eyes slowly travelled to a man standing beside the Chinese Fireball's cage. He peered at the parchment in his hands through thin, dark glasses, with his wand strapped to his upper arm and his blond hair bunched in a neat ponytail at the base of his neck.
Edith felt Charlie's posture soften, as if he had released a heaving sigh. But no audible sigh ever left him as he continued to admire the man across the clearing through - quite possibly - the softest eyes Edith had ever seen.
"He wants to significant." Charlie breathed, bringing his eyes away from the blond man and taking a quick glance at Edith, only to find the girl alread staring at him, a small and knowing lopsided smile on her face.
Charlie's eyes widened, seeing that he had been caught, before he coughed, lowering his head off to the side and raking a hand through his own hair before continuing with his words.
"Ron doesn't wanna just be 'another Weasley'. And I understand, really. But like I say, he's got years. He's better off enjoying the world he's in today, with the people he loves, before sitting down and getting all grumpy with what comes tomorrow. Life's too short to not enjoy waking up in the morning, Edith."
"But... that's not why I invited you here. How're you doing? Any more hiccups with your cards? Forget everyone else for a minute, you doin' okay?" Charlie finally turned to her, (now blush free), and tilted his head.
Edith glanced away, finding the Horntail's gleaming eyes once again, all the while, hearing Sirius' words being spoken in her head.
"You need to be kind to yourself, Edith."
"The tournament's giving me a run for my money, but teaching is going well. I'm coping, I just have to be there for Harry. I'm okay." Edith nodded to herself, watching the plumes of dragonfire ahead of them once again.
Liar.
They watched as the dragonologists around them continued to wrangle the four dragons back into a semi-peaceful state, and Edith didn't miss the subtle way Charlie flinched at the sight of stunning spells being used against the beasts.
It wasn't pretty, not by a long shot. but it was necessary. The sooner the dragon's were calmed down, the sooner Charlie's colleagues could focus on the new stands for the First Task, the sooner the dragon's could be taken back to their reserves, and treated with the respect and care that they deserved.
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Atop the rooftop in the courtyard Edith sat in her other form, ruffling her wings as she watched the movement down below.
Her eyes moved between Cedric, who was laying down on a bench in the middle of his friends. And Harry, who was silently walking around the surrounding corridors, making his way onto the grassy space that separated him and the older boy.
Edith's eyes narrowed as two older Hufflepuff's stopped him at the archway, flashing a crudely enchanted badge in his face.
Harry's shoulders slumped and some words left him, unheard by Edith. The two older students refused to move. And so Harry huffed out a breath, deciding to just push past them to get through.
Edith watched as Harry ignored the taunts coming from nearly everyone in the quad, and she perked up with interest as he approached Cedric.
Cedric's surrounding friends took notice, grinning and 'ooo'ing as Harry stopped beside them, watching as Cedric sat up at the sight of him.
Edith fluttered closer, landing on the tree just above the group.
"Read the badge, Potter!" A student Edith knew as Scott Haring, from her time as a Head Girl, taunted loudly, snapping his book closed through a thin smile.
Harry ignored him, not looking away from Cedric. "Can I have a word?" He asked, tiredly gripping the strap of his bag.
Cedric seemed to consider it, before he shrugged, sending a short look over the shoulder to his friends before he stood, following Harry over to the large tree where neither knew Edith was. "Alright."
Harry and Cedric stopped a little aways from the group, and Harry took a moment before speaking up.
"Dragons. That's the first task. They've got one for each of us."
He couldn't do this.
Cedric's face creased in disbelief, and he blinked.
Harding once again yelled over to the two of them. "Come on, Ced!"
Cedric looked back towards Harry. "You.. are you serious?"
Harry nodded, unaware of a second pair of eyes on him.
Alastor Moody watched from an outer corridor, his prosthetic eye flickering from Harry to Cedric, and then upwards towards where a branch trembled in the wind below Edith's tiny talons.
"And Fleur and Krum, do they-?"
"Yeah."
"... Right." Cedric nodded to himself.
Harry moved to walk away, only for Cedric to catch his arm, lowering his voice. "Hey listen, about the badges. I've asked them not to wear them. And I've said that Professor Finch would have their heads for it, but-"
"Don't worry about it." Harry brushed him off, shaking his head before he kept walking.
His eyes caught Ron and Seamus walking down the hall, and Harry was fueled with anger.
His former 'best mate' didn't even have the guts to tell him about the dragon's himself, when they first arrived? Was Ron even going to tell Harry? Or would he only have realised tomorrow after the Ministry had thrown him into an arena along with a fire-breathing beast?
Harry finally reached Ron and Seamus in the open archway, watching as the former's face fell into a dry scowl at the sight of him.
"You're a right foul git, y'know that?" Harry spat, gripping his bag's strap so hard Edith thought his fingernails might pierce the material.
"You think so?" Ron ambled closer, staring him down.
"I know so." Harry retorted.
"Anything else?" Ron asked, raising both brows mockingly.
"Yeah. Stay away from me." Harry replied.
"Fine." Ron grumbled. "See you back in the room we share." The ginger rolled his eyes, shoving past Harry with Seamus not far behind.
Harry fumed to himself, turning back around and walking again. He wasn't sure where he should go, since it was a free period. Maybe he could stop by Edith's classroom, they could have some tea and brainstorm ideas for the First Task tomorrow.
With each passing minute, Harry felt his stomach twisting tighter.
He couldn't do this.
"Why so tense, Potter?" Malfoy's voice rang through the courtyard, and Harry didn't even have to glance at the blond to know there was a wide grin on his face.
Malfoy continued, uncaring at the lack of a reaction. "My father and I have a bet, you see. I don't think you're gonna last ten minutes in this tournament. He disagrees." Harry stopped in place, feeling another wave of anger reaching up, seeking the surface of a release.
Malfoy slid down from the tree he sat on, brushing off his robes as he continued to speak. "He thinks you won't last five." Malfoy and his friends laughed, but something inside Harry snapped, and he stormed upto Draco, shoving him backwards with a harsh jolt of his arms
"I don't give a damn what your father thinks, Malfoy. He's vile and cruel. And you're just pathetic."
Edith leapt from the tree behind them, gaining the attention of surrounding students as she transformed back, landing on the ground whilst taking long strides towards the group.
"That's enough! Come on, Harry." The dark haired boy stepped back, feeling Edith's arm come around his shoulders.
Malfoy hesitated at the sight of Edith, swallowing to himself before he spat a comment out. "Still needing Professors to fight your battles, Potter? How old are you now?"
"I said enough! Five points from Slytherin, Malfoy. Talk back again and it's ten." Edith's stare was calm as she began guiding Harry away.
With their backs turned, Malfoy reached for his wand, spitting under his breath. "Pathetic? Well I don't need some... blood-traitor to protect m-"
Just as Malfoy's wand met sunlight, Alastor Moody's shout echoed around the courtyard as he leapt from his hiding place with a spell already leaving his wand and flying in Draco's direction.
"Oh no you don't, sonny!!"
With a yelp from Draco and a swirl of gold, a snow white ferret was left in Malfoy's place.
Harry and Edith had turned at Moody's shout, and were now struggling to keep their laughter under wraps.
Well, Edith was struggling, Harry on the other hand was laughing freely, and it helped Edith to see him smile. How long had it been since she'd seen that? The night when this all started?
"I'll teach you to curse someone when their back is turned!" Moody continued to yell, limping forward and beginning to lift Draco into the air, flinging him up and down with vicious movements.
"You stinking, cowardly, scummy-"
The ferret on the ground wriggled and squealed in frantic surprise, it's small claws uselessly digging into the ground every time it got far enough down to reach it before getting yanked back up again, twisting in the air.
Professor McGonagall emerged into the courtyard, having heard the commotion, and raced into the shade of the towering tree above them all.
"Professor Moody! What- what are you doing?"
Edith held Harry at her front, wrapping her arms around him and smiling into his shoulder. She had spent this entire summer being taught about professionalism and proper teaching ethics, both of which had just been thrown out the window.
She hadn't smiled this much in weeks.
Moody didn't look away from the ferret that was Malfoy, continuing to flail the distressed and transfigured boy around in the air.
"Teaching." Alastor replied simply.
Minerva's eyes widened with a shrill realisation. "Is that a- is that a student?"
Moody shrugged. "Technically, it's a ferret." With a yank to the front of Goyle's trousers and a wave of his wand, Draco was stuffed down the front of the boy's pants.
Crabbe started forward, yelling at the boy to stand still while he reached down attempting to grab Draco. The frantic animal bit him instead, prompting Crabbe to yelp, recoiling his hand through another scream.
Moody put his wand away, glancing over his shoulder and winking at Harry, who grinned back. Edith smiled with him, watching as Moody nodded to her instead.
It was almost like a peace offering of sorts.
Moody was to be trusted, Edith decided then. If nothing else, he and Edith could help Harry through this. Seeing as no one else wanted to.
Draco crawled out of Goyle's trouser leg, wriggling on the ground again.
McGonagall stepped forward, waving her wand in the ferret's direction, forcing a reverse of the transformation.
With a cloudy swirl, Draco was back in his usual form, with dusted up robes and ruined hair.
He stood frantically, eyes searching for Moody before he glanced over his shoulder and recoiling at the sight of said man staring back at him.
"My father will hear about this!" Draco promised, scrambling backwards towards the giant tree trunk behind him.
Moody's face dropped, pushing off his staff and leaving it upright on its own. He started forward, disbelief coating his words.
"Is that a threat?"
"Professor Moody!"
"Is that a threat!?" Moody bellowed again, ignoring McGonagall's calls of his name.
Moody gave chase around the tree as Draco ran, finally breaking out in a sprint as he raced past Harry and Edith, and out of the courtyard, his friends following not far behind.
Moody watched him go, yelling after him. "I could tell you stories about your father that would curl even your greasy hair, boy!! It doesn't end here!!
Moody rounded the tree fully, now stopping in front of McGonagall with her wand pointing straight at his chin.
"Alastor! Alastor." Minerva repeated until she had the man's attention, her glare making Edith shiver, and she wasn't even on the receiving end.
"We never use Transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Dumbledore told you that?" Moody's eyes dipped down to the tip of the Professor's wand, pursing his mouth.
"He might've mentioned it." Moody admitted quietly.
"Well, you will do well to remember it." Minerva stated, her glare lingering for a few moments longer before she lowered her wand, turning to the crowd that had begun to form around her.
"Away!" With a single word, the crowd of students disbanded, and McGonagall went with them.
When McGonagall's back was turned, Moody turned up his face in her direction. He limped to grab his staff before lumbering past Harry and Edith, calling over his shoulder.
"You two, come with me."
Harry and Edith shared a glance, but followed, with Edith taking the boy's bag for him, looping it around her own shoulder instead.
They followed Moody to the DADA department, and they followed Moody through his classroom and upto his office.
Moody's office was filled with different kinds of telescopes and magnifying glasses, along with a large mechanical chest off to the right of the room.
The man ahead of them wrenched off his jacket, leaning down to un-clasp his prosthetic leg, heaving it up to rest on the desk he sat beside.
Harry's attention was grabbed by a larger magnifying glass ahead of Moody's desk. He could've sworn he saw a face or two flickering in and out of view for a split second.
Moody noticed the boy's stare, and pointed towards the item of interest.
"That's a Foe-Glass. Let's me keep an eye on my enemies. If I can see the whites of their eyes, they're standing right behind me!" The man barked a laugh, pointing over his shoulder.
The chest off to the side that Edith stood beside burst into movement, rumbling with a yell that almost sounded like it came from inside the trunk. Edith jumped in place, stepping back towards Harry again. She warily eyed the large chest.
"What in Merlin's name..."
Moody watched her, before he shrugged, settling back into his chair. "Wouldn't even bother telling you what's in there. You wouldn't believe it if I did."
Harry swallowed as Moody turned to him again.
"What're you going to do about your dragon?"
He couldn't do this.
"Ah, so Hagrid got to you before I did." Edith mused, rubbing her arm as her eyes unwillingly fell on the chest again.
Something about it didn't sit right with her.
"Oh, um... well, y'know I just thought I'd... " Harry paused, racking his brain for an answer.
Moody kicked a stool in Harry's direction. "Sit."
Harry did so, and Edith walked over to the chest, leaning against it as she settled into place, an air of unease still dancing around her.
"Listen to me, Potter." Moody started. "Your pal Diggory? By your age, he could turn a whistle into a watch and have it sing you the time. Miss Delacour? She's as much a fairy princess as I am. As for Krum, his head may be filled with sawdust, but Karkaroff's is not. The same goes for Visan." Moody's eyes flicked over to Edith before jumping back to Harry.
"They'll have a strategy. And you can bet, that it will play to Krum's strengths. Hm?"
Harry watched him, starting to pick up on what he was getting at.
Moody shuffled closer. "Come on, Potter. What're your strengths?"
"Um... I dunno. Well, I can fly. I mean, I'm a fair flyer, but I-"
Moody nodded along. "Better than fair, the way I heard it."
"But I'm not allowed a broom."
"You're allowed a wand."
"The Summoning Charm." Edith spoke up in realisation. "Of course. Professor you're a genius."
Moody pointed in the woman's direction, clicking his fingers. "Ding ding, ding, Finch. Got a winner over here."
Harry looked between them. "But I don't know the charm. The First Task is tomorrow!"
"We've got the rest of the day to practice, then. Let's not waste any time." Edith stood suddenly, holding out a gloved hand in Harry's direction.
Harry looked back to Moody, who waved his hands in a 'there you go' gesture while leaning back into his chair again.
Harry picked up his robes before reaching out and taking Edith's hand, she started them in the direction of the door.
"Oh, Professor?" Edith said, glancing over her shoulder and stopping in place.
Moody perked up questioningly.
"Thank you."
The man huffed a smile.
"Aye, my pleasure, Finch."
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The Ministry-made stadium was packed. The students from Beauxbatons, Durmstrang and Hogwarts were sat spread out around the stands. The majority of the seating was organised by House, and the two visiting parties mainly sat around eachother.
Edith had been struck by an angry realisation when Charlie had owled her this morning, passing along the message that the Ministry had decided to scrap the idea of a fire-proof wire cage built above the stadium, instead deciding to chain the four dragons up to the middle of the arena instead.
It had taken a good ten minutes of cursing into the empty air of her quarters for her to be calm enough to actually leave the castle.
Now, she had wandered from the Teacher's Box, making her way towards the Champions tent in order to see Harry. She waved to Daria as she passed by the woman, the fellow Professor seemingly just having came from the same direction she was heading.
When Edith was able to slip inside the tent, her brows creased at the sight of Rita Skeeter surrounding Harry and Hermione, with her camera man hanging over her shoulder.
Rita's enchanted pad scribbled away as she turned to Harry, who glared at her, along with Hermione.
"If everything goes unfortunately today, you two may even make the front page." Rita grinned at them mockingly.
Edith took a step in their direction, the lack of sleep from the night before only shortening the fuse on her already delicate temper.
But Viktor spoke up from across the room, striding in the Reporter's direction, clad in his brown and red robes.
"You have no business here. This tent is for champions. And friends." His accented voice didn't hide his annoyance, and through his words Viktor looked towards Edith, nodding through a still expression.
Rita turned to him, looking the boy up and down. "No matter. We've got what we wanted."
Her green quill brushed the boy's chin, and Edith stepped up beside him, crossing her arms and nodding in the direction of the tent's entrance.
"I think you're needed somewhere else, Skeeter. Anywhere else, actually. Just not here. Around me." Edith's words were hard, and she watched as Rita rolled her eyes.
"Yes, yes. You've made your choice, sweetheart." Rita replied coldly, nodding to her camera man before marching out of the tent.
Edith let out a relieved sigh, turning to the boy beside her.
"Thank you, Viktor. That meant a lot."
"Friends of Daria are friends of mine. It vas my pleasure." Viktor gave her a small smile.
"Good luck today." Edith added, palming his shoulder before she started in Harry and Hermione's direction.
She reached them, bringing her gloved hands up to cradle both of their faces. Harry leaned into her touch, letting out a shuddering breath while Hermione smiled at the familiar sensation of wool against her cheek.
"You two okay? Harry, I've left your broom beside the fountain in the Transfiguration courtyard. It's the closest and most open place I could think of while still being on the Grounds. Hopefully it gets to you fast enough- No, no it will. I know it will." Edith nodded to herself, sweeping her fringe back with a flick of her head.
"Thanks, Edith." Harry replied, still looking a little pale.
He couldn't do this.
"Oh and I wanted to give you this." Edith reached into her pocket, pulling out another card she had duplicated, putting it in his open palm.
Harry stared at the card's face, the image of The Magician stared back up at him.
"It'll keep you safe, and I want you to have it. Permanently. I'll keep the duplicated, non-magic version with the rest of them."
Harry glanced up from the card, his fingers tightening around the silver and gold image.
Edith nearly fell backwards as Harry's arms were flung around her. He buried his head in her chest, feeling her arms go back around him in return.
She swayed them, smiling when Hermione joined the hug too. Edith could tell that the girl beside them was as shaken up as she was at the idea of Harry having to face a dragon.
Everything inside Harry screamed that the second he locked eyes with that dragon, it would burn him to a crisp and swipe his ashes away with a bored expression in it's eyes.
But having Edith here, helping him, supporting him, protecting him as much as she possibly could...
It made him feel a little braver.
It made him feel like although his parents weren't here, although Sirius and Remus weren't here... he would still be okay.
Because she was here. On his shoulder.
"Oh, Potter. You be careful." Edith squeezed him, truly not wanting to let go. But she knew she had to.
Edith wiped her eyes when she finally let go, watching as Harry hid the gifted card away into an inside pocket of his black and red champion robes.
Edith took a breath, taking a few steps backwards and turning to Cedric, not even letting the boy say 'hello' before she wrapped him in her arms.
Cedric laughed into her shoulder, hugging her back.
"That goes for you too. Murphy would skin me if anything happened to their star player. They've been talking to their Captain about you, by the way. If you end up wanting to pursue Quidditch at the end of all this. You might have a spot on the Magpie's Reserves."
Edith was rambling, giving her mind anything else to think of other than the fact that she was helping push four teenagers towards live and angry dragons for entertainment.
Cedric gave her one last squeeze before he let go. "Noted. I'm keeping my options open, y'know? You should get back to the stands. Professor McGonagall will probably be looking for you."
Edith nodded to herself, catching sight of Fleur pacing a little aways. She fiddled with her blonde ponytail, muttering to herself what sounded like a range of incantations.
Edith stepped towards her, smiling at the girl glanced up to meet her eyes.
"Good luck today, Miss Delacour."
Fleur's shoulders dropped slightly, but she smiled in appreciation. "Thank you, Miss Finch."
Immediately after Fleur's words, Dumbledore, Crouch, Karkaroff, Maxine and Filch entered the tent.
Edith refused to meet eyes with the Headmaster, instead crossing her arms and moving to stand beside Harry.
"Good day, Champions! Gather round, please." Edith watched as Karkaroff went to Viktor and Maxine went to Fleur.
Edith grabbed Cedric's arm, moving him to where he and Harry stood together, her arms around them both.
"Now, you've waited, you've wondered, and at last the moment has arrived. A moment only four of you can fully appreciate." Dumbledore glanced to the side, doing a double-take when he spotted Hermione in the circle.
"What are you doing here, Miss Granger?"
Hermione grimaced, taking a few steps back. "Oh, um, sorry, I'll just go."
With Hermione leaving the tent, Dumbledore looked over his shoulder. "Barty, the bag."
Mr Crouch entered the circle in Dumbledore's place. And Edith smiled to herself at the sight of the Ministry Official avidly avoiding meeting her eyes.
The bag Mr Crouch held wriggled in his palm as he directed the teenagers to stand around him.
"Now, Miss Delacour, if you will." Barty held open the bag for Fleur to reach into. She did so, with some hesitancy.
She flinched as she grasped a miniature, live dragon in her palm, it flopped down into her hand. Small plumes of smoke puffing from its nose. Fleur and Maxine exchanged an awe'd glance.
"The Welsh Green."
"Mr Krum..." Crouch held out the bag, waiting as Viktor reached in, grasping his own dragon. It nipped at his gloves on the way out of the bag. "The Chinese Fireball. Ooh." Crouch's sound prompted Edith to roll her eyes, gripping Cedric's arm as the Ministry Official started in his direction.
Cedric reached in, receiving his dragon. "The Swedish Short-Snout." Crouch grinned.
Edith paled, she knew that only four breeds had been brought to Hogwarts by Charlie and his team.
She knew what awaited Harry in that bag. And so did he.
"Which leaves..."
"The Horntail." Harry muttered in a sick realisation.
"What's that, boy?" Crouch asked quickly.
"Nothing, sir." Edith replied for him, watching as Harry reached in the bag, wincing at the tiny claws moving up his fingers and onto his palm.
"The Hungarian Horntail."
The tiny beast in Harry's hand was covered in spikes, its hide a brown sandy colour. Despite being a miniature version of the giant beast she had seen only a few days ago, the tiny dragon sat in Harry's hand had eyes like the fire it spat. Red and burning, fiery and unforgiving.
This was rage, born into a body of teeth, fire and wings.
"These represent four very real dragons, each of which has been given a golden egg to protect. Your objective is simple. Collect the egg. This you must do, for each egg contains a clue. Without which you cannot hope to proceed to the next task. Any questions?"
The room was silent.
Dumbledore spoke up. "Very well. Good luck, Champions. Mr Diggory, at the sound of the cannon, you may-"
The starting cannon was set off, the impact nearly blowing Filch off his feet on the stands above.
Cedric took that as his starting point. He squeezed Edith's hand once more before he let it go, walking in the direction of the stadium's entrance, ready to face the creature on the other side of the tarp.
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Edith made a mental note to apologise to McGonagall when the First Task was over, as she had spent nearly all of it gripping onto the older woman's arm.
Three Champions had faced their dragons, and Edith was proud of them all.
Cedric did a very impressive feat of Transfiguration magic against his dragon, changing a nearby rock into a golden labrador to distract it. The dragon took the bait for a short while before turning it's attention back onto Cedric, earning him a small burn. But he was still able to retrieve the golden egg.
Fleur, amazingly, had charmed her dragon to sleep, making her able to avoid it entirely to get her egg. A small puff of snoring flames did catch the end of her skirt, but she was able to extinguish it fast enough.
Viktor attempted to blind his dragon with a Conjunctivitis Curse, and while he retrieved the egg with no major injuries, he had points taken away due to his dragon smashing up a few of the other fake eggs in the nest.
Edith sat beside Minerva with as straight a face as she could manage.
Edith's mentor saw her expression, and rested a gloved hand over her own. "The boy will be alright. Have faith." McGonagall reassured her.
"Even if he gets through this alive, I'm killing Dumbledore myself." Edith stated quietly.
Minerva continued to pet her hand, bringing another arm around her shoulders. "I'm afraid you'll need to get in line, my dear."
Edith and Minerva shared a smile.
Harry sat in the tent, the gaping hole in his stomach getting wider and wider with each breath he took.
He couldn't do this.
He couldn't do this.
"Three of our champions have now faced their dragons, and so each one of them will proceed to the next task. And now, our fourth and final contestant." Dumbledore's words made the panic worse, if that was even possible.
Harry stood on shaky legs, his vision nearly blurring entirely as he spotted the dark stone from the gaps of the tarp ahead of him.
His hands trembled, a cold sweat piercing his chest.
He couldn't do this.
Harry took a breath, a horribly shaking thing that rattled his insides as it crawled out of him.
He breathed out, and the world around him fell quiet.
One of his shaking hands drifted to his upper chest, where he knew a pocket was on the inside of his robes. He pressed down, feeling the fabric outline of the gifted tarot card against his bare fingers.
He couldn't do this.
...But maybe he could.
Harry burned the sensation of the card's shape against his skin into his mind as he marched out of the tent, his eyes stuck on the lonely golden egg sitting on the rocky nest some ways ahead of him.
It was mainly the Gryffindor's in the stands that chanted his name, but he could still see small portions of the other houses joining in as well.
Maybe he wasn't as alone in this as he had first thought.
Harry's eyes still sat on the golden egg in the middle of the cavern shaped arena, and he started towards it.
What he thought was a wrecking ball landing beside him was actually the Horntail's spiked tail, slamming into the stone beside him, and tossing the boy down a small ravine.
Edith's hand trembled against her mouth as she watched, shoving down every instinct she had that screamed at her to leap over the railing and help him. But she couldn't. She couldn't.
It didn't help the betrayal she felt at the fact her body was truly sitting back and watching this.
The Horntail only took once glance down at Harry before she was spitting waves of flames, and Harry scrambled away, heading straight for the nest in the middle of the arena.
Surely, as soon as his hands reached the egg, it would be over?
The Horntail would be subdued, and he would be taken out of the arena.
Wouldn't he?
The Horntail flapped her broad wings, slightly limited by the chain around her neck, and followed the boy towards her nest.
Her tail landed a hair away from Harry, and McGonagall couldn't help the shuddering gasp that was ripped from her.
Edith only held her tighter.
Harry fell away from the nest, the Horntail's tail managing to catch him again in mid air, swatting him towards the outskirts of the cavern. The Horntail stood at her nest, roaring in defiance.
She wasn't letting anything near that egg without a fight.
Harry couldn't breathe as he hit the rocks, he only knew he needed to move.
His dragon let out another blast of fire, and Harry scrambled to find cover in surrounding rocks.
Not far from Edith, Igor watched through his laughter, grinning widely at the scene.
Edith fisted her hands on her lap, her shoulders shaking as she resisted the overwhelming urge to toss him over the railing.
Daria angrily slapped the man's shoulder, glaring at him and seemingly scolding him in a language Edith's couldn't understand nor hear from her place at the other side of the Teacher's Box.
Igor shrugged his colleague off, shuffling away from her through a deep frown.
Daria still glared after him, turning back in place and looking as if she was searching for someone in the rows below.
Edith and Daria met eyes, and Daria's face brightened. The woman stood, clambering past Professor Trelawney and Professor Flitwick before finally reaching herself and McGonagall.
McGonagall had an owlish look on her face as Daria sat down on Edith's other side, joining her in wrapping an arm around the Hufflepuff.
Daria gave a single, happy nod to the Transfiguration Professor before she looked back towards Harry, rubbing Edith's arm in a soothing gesture.
Edith smiled, attempting to ground herself with the physical support she was receiving on both sides.
Harry continued to dance around large rocks, cramming himself up against one every so often to avoid the onslaught of dragon fire being pelted against the surface behind him.
Hermione bellowed from the stand above. "Your wand, Harry! Your wand!!"
It clicked for Harry, and he raised his wand in the direction of the castle over the hill. "Accio Firebolt!"
The spell had been cast, now all Harry had to do was stay alive until his broom reached him.
The Horntail took flight again, moving a few meters to glance around the rock that Harry had hidden behind.
Harry held his breath, praying to whatever God was out there that the Horntail would forget about him, that she would realise that because he was hiding away, he wasn't a threat to her egg.
His wandless hand gripped his inside pocket over his chest.
Another rumbling groan echoed from behind him, but another sound of something cutting through the air made Harry peek out from behind the rock.
The dark haired boy could've fainted when be spotted his beloved broom soaring towards him.
The Horntail blasted another jet of fire, attempting to sear right through the rock he was hidden behind.
Harry waited, flinching at the sheer heat he could feel radiating through the rock.
The blast fell away, and Harry only had to look towards the Horntail again before he took the chance.
Harry pushed himself up, racing out of cover before leaping off the end of the rock he was standing on, landing on his Firebolt and soaring away from the Horntail's next blast of flames.
Harry flew straight for the egg, but the Horntail spat again, prompting the boy to veer away from the nest.
The Horntail grumbled and roared, taking flight only to be stopped by the chain around her neck. She yanked it, pulling her neck upwards through another growl.
Edith could've thrown up when the chain snapped, and the Horntail flapped her wings faster, giving chase to the boy on the broom.
The crowd screamed, flinching back in their seats.
Harry glanced over his shoulder, paling at the sight of the free dragon chasing him down.
He urged his broom to move faster, flying straight towards the Teacher's Box, dipping under the tarp and not slowing down.
The Horntail followed, and Edith felt Daria pull her off to the left, away from McGonagall.
Edith landed on Daria's front, and she barely opened her eyes before she watched the seat she was just sitting in be smashed in half by the Horntail's spiked tail, leaving planks of jagged wood and sticks of metal in it's wake.
Edith stood, twisting in place and hanging over the giant gap in the stands that had just been made. She watched he Horntail fly further away, knowing exactly who she was chasing.
"Harry!"
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Harry had no idea how fast dragons really were. Of course, he knew from Hagrid's class that they were giant creatures, with broad wings that shamelessly cut through the sky. But he had no idea how a creature that size could move so quickly.
The Horntail was chasing him, and he was close to being caught.
He flew straight for the castle, having to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting Ravenclaw Tower. The dragon did the same, veering back to pursue him through another thunderous howl.
She came closer, snapping her jaws.
Harry rolled off to the right, diving down towards the Transfiguration courtyard before rising back up, heading towards and around Gryffindor Tower.
Harry looked behind him, seeing that he had lost the dragon.
He continued around the tower, but yelped when the creature met him at the top, slinging her tail in his direction.
Harry was thrown from his broom, sliding down the roof tiles, his fingers struggling to grab something, anything to stop his descent.
Finally he managed to catch the top half of a window. Harry gripped it, and didn't dare to let go.
He panted, watching as the dragon slowed, landing on a smaller trio of towers further away, roaring again.
Against the raging wind, Harry maneuvered around the windowsill, risking a glance below him.
To his suprise, his broom was on the level below him, one of its golden spurs caught in a stray tile.
The Horntail growled, leaping from the small trio of towers onto the same one that Harry was stuck on, seemingly intent on finishing him off herself.
The ornate spire Harry gripped onto snapped, and Harry screamed as he dropped through the air.
He caught the top of the window below him, his feet kicking away the old scaffolding, it's rickety wood having been wasted away with time and constant exposure from the elements.
Harry gripped on tightly, struggling to find his footing. He needed to get his broom, he needed to get moving again before the Horntail reached him.
Harry found his footing, a strangled gasp leaving his mouth as he watched the Horntail climb closer, her claws scattering tiles and boards from the inside of the tower into the wind below.
Harry shuffled around the window, a hand finally reaching his broom. Harry pulled, tugging the Firebolt towards him, but its spur was still stuck in place. Caution to the wind, Harry kept pulling as the Horntail came closer. It couldn't have been any further away than a few meters at best.
With one last tug, the Firebolt was free.
Harry let go, letting gravity drag him down.
Right as his hands had let go of the window, the Horntail had lunged, smashing the window into pieces.
Harry fell, hearing the dragon leap off the roof and dive down after him.
The Gryffindor met open air again, shuffling in space to throw his legs over the broom, urging it to move again.
The momentum of his fall pushed Harry upwards again, flying past the clocktower with the Horntail still on his heels.
Harry dove under the suspension bridge that connected DADA department and the quad courtyard, going under while the Horntail went over.
The dragon spat another plume of flames, and Harry looked back in worry as the tail end of his Firebolt caught on fire. He pushed onwards, hoping that his broom would be able enough to get him back to the stadium in one piece.
Harry then spotted the Viaduct Bridge, seeing an opportunity.
He aimed for it, flying straight towards one of the small gaps in the stonework. But the Horntail finally came close enough to bite his broom, and Harry faltered, nearly losing control of hie Firebolt altogether.
He yelled, and the Horntail smashed into the bridge.
They both fell straight down, into the gaping cavern of rushing water and rocks below.
The Horntail's last scream echoed for miles, heard by the crowd still waiting for any sign of movement or life in the stadium.
They waited.
Edith gripped onto Daria's hand, her eyes wet as she stared at the empty horizon.
"Come on... come on, please."
She couldn't do this again. Not again. Not Harry.
But the sight of a small figure, dark smoke being cast from the rear end of a charred broom, made the crowd jump in am excited realisation.
Harry emerged from the mountain's below, exhausted looking but alive.
The crowd cheered, Hermione screamed in joy, wrapping her arms around Ron who couldn't help but hug her back.
Daria squeezed Edith tighter, watching as the girl nearly fell into the seat behind her, slumping her head on the woman's jacket covered shoulder.
Harry flew over them all, reaching for the egg in a swift movement, with the confidence of a boy who had faced a runaway beast, widely regarded as one of the most dangerous creatures in this world, and lived.
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A/N: Okay. Let me try and get you all upto date as to why this has taken so long to get out.
I went on holiday to Spain. I had surgery, and I was stuck at home for three weeks trying to recover from said surgery. I've started a new job and I've moved to Wales for work related reasons.
But, good news, I'm pretty much settled now. And the Tarot Series has all my undivided attention outside of work. So expect to see more frequent updated again :)
Thank you all so much for your patience. It means the world. DEATH has hit 15k reads, and THE MAGICIAN has hit 3k reads.
That absolutely blows my mind that people enjoy this project, what started as a tiny idea has developed into my proudest work, and we're not even halfway done yet! We've still got four more films to do!
So again, thank you for your support, and I can't wait to see you all in the next chapter which will cover the Yule Ball!
Keep the fabulous comments coming, they're the highlight of my day!